Alternative (to Case) sources for carbon steel slipjoints?

O

onebagnomad

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Sep 8, 2009
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Could someone please give me the lowdown on good alternatives to Case for carbon steel blades? Want to make sure I'm not missing any. I'm aware of GEC, the Schatt and Morgan heritage series, a few Bokers, and German Eye Brand. I'm more than a little disappointed at the moment. Last week I received my latest knife order, three Case knives in CV. All three had at least one blade that was completely messed up. Don't get me wrong, I understand that there is quite a bit of work done at Case by hand and that the price point is relatively low; heck, I appreciate the differences from knife to knife (part of their charm). I'm used to a gap here, a blade rub there. All three of these had kicks that looked like an angry gorilla took a file to them.

I promptly sent them back with the understanding that I would take an exchange if they could assure me that I wouldn't get another round of the same. I just got the call from my dealer saying that they pulled more stock for my order and could only find one knife that didn't exhibit the same problem. They offered me a refund and I took it. My last Case had a bolster that protruded over the liner. I don't know what's going on in Bradford, but I'm tired of dealing with the problem knives that shouldn't have made it past QC.
 
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shame ya didnt shoot a picture of it, wouldve like to have seen it to compare to mine. i honestly dont know what to recommend that you havent already stated. FWIW i havent got a Case that i felt was in need of a sendback, nor My lone GEC or even the Queen which was the closest i got to sending back in frustration, fortunately it issue got better in time... Also all of the knife manufactures are gonna be hand built/assembled, its just a matter of the skill of the hands doing it;)
sorry for the experience, best of luck
gene
 
As a matter of fact...

sodbuster.jpg
 
wow! i actually have my beloved CV soddie on me today and it sure doesnt look like that, mine has a slight angle but its clean grind, definitely not like yours, i'll check my other dozen or so case but that would jumped out at me also
man thats just weird, my advice on case is if you can find a place close handle them first, its a drag but if you still wanted one it be a good way to weed out problems>
i suppose ive been fortunate with mine
gene
 
I have a mystery file mark on the kick of my peanut. It's definitely not as bad as yours. Oddly, it's on the curve of the kick not on the hump, if that makes any sense. So, who ever did it wasn't trying file the kick down. Someone just wanted to try out their new file on something.
 
My Peanut looks almost the same as yours, but not as bad. I took the medium stones on my sharpmaker and filed it a bit more even. At that price point I dont want to send it all the way back.
 
Queen's D2 is still the best carbon steel commonly available in a slipjoint, and they're still made in America. I have bought five new Queen's over the last two years and all have had very good F&F, two even came sharp. The most common problem with Queens is the edge grinds. Sometimes they are too thick, sometimes uneven and usually not very sharp, but these are things I can fix myself, and I even enjoy doing it! Their amber stag bone is one of the prettiest handle materials around, and the curly zebrawood is handsome too. I'd give them a try.
 
black mamba said:
Queen's D2 is still the best carbon steel commonly available in a slipjoint, and they're still made in America. I have bought five new Queen's over the last two years and all have had very good F&F, two even came sharp. The most common problem with Queens is the edge grinds. Sometimes they are too thick, sometimes uneven and usually not very sharp, but these are things I can fix myself, and I even enjoy doing it! Their amber stag bone is one of the prettiest handle materials around, and the curly zebrawood is handsome too. I'd give them a try.
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Definitely a pain to sharpen that D2 but it holds that nice edge once you get it sharp. Canal Street also has D2 I believe.
 
Another fan of Queen knives and their D2 blade steel. Really, once you get the hang of it, they're not that bad to sharpen. The edge it holds will spoil you.
 
Thanks for the input everyone. I should have mentioned that I'm a sucker for a natural, dark patina. D2 just doesn't float my boat.
 
How about Moore Maker small Sodbuster in yellow cow bone with 1095 blade. They are made by Queen and have a good fit and finish, the derlin handle Moore Maker is carbon as well and much cheaper but is made by Bear and Son and its fit and finish leaves much to be desired.
 
I don't have any experience with them, but perhaps someone else could weigh in - how about the Utica Kutmaster line? The pictures I have seen look good, and the price is good, too.

If you want to put some money into it, I like GEC and the Queen-made Moore Maker. For more moderate prices, Eye Brand is good (sometimes some fit & finish issues, but excellent blades) and you can't go wrong with Böker.
 
lambertiana said:
I don't have any experience with them, but perhaps someone else could weigh in - how about the Utica Kutmaster line? The pictures I have seen look good, and the price is good, too...
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If the OP is fussy about fit and finish, I don't think he'll like the Kutmaster line. I happen to like the two I have. They make good users. They are solid in the hand, come pretty sharp from the factory, have no blade wobble and no real gaps. But they don't have the level of polish of a Case.
 
I just got a Utica Kutmaster Big Pine series stockman a couple days ago. Overall OK, but the spey blade had some play, more when it was closed if that makes any sense. At $38 or so I didn't want to send it back so I put it in a vise between a couple pieces of wood and squished away. It did tighten up, but then I had to file the exposed pin on one side of the bolster, sand the file marks off with 1000 grit, and polish off the sanding marks with a dremel and white compound. It's alright, I guess but the pin still shows. OK for a user though. Definately not the F/F of a GEC. My Queen Mountain Man lockback had to go back to tighten up blade play, and it came back fixed and actually sharpened. The black delrin Bullnoses I got both had to have the kicks filed down to get the blade point down into the handles. Problems everywhere, I guess.
 
Speaking of Moore Maker & Utica...

I have this Utica produced model which overall isn't too bad (for a working knife) but, for the money, I'd honestly go with something like a Case 3318 in CV instead - even if purchased sight unseen. YMMV though.

IMG_1992.jpg
 
My experiences with Böker Germany, carbon knives have all been good, so far. I've got around 10 of their knives (Stockman, Copperhead,Whittler,Congress, Lockback) and I find the quality has been good, no gaps and steel that sharpens up well. The price is below CASE and I have been very pleased.

Regards, Will
 
I'll second a vote for Boker, everything I've ever bought from them has been tight, their carbon sharpens excellent. I have one Queen made Moore Maker, came with gaps and blade play on multiple blades, sent it back, they sent a new one and it has blade play also, it's a nice knife but for the money I could have bought three Bokers. Outside of GEC which all have been perfect, every other manufacture has had minor flaws. What I don't get, the knives I still have from childhood were mostly cheap Imperials, and Ulster and they are still tight and all the old knives I have picked up at flea markets have been tight, to many newer companies let too many sub par knives slip through, there was a time when people took pride in their work and manufactures wanted to put out a quality product to last a lifetime.
 
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I was looking at a Boker Appaloos bone canoe from a dealer on the net. It seemed so cheap price wise(beautiful knife) ARE they handmade in Solingen ?IS that Solingen in Germany?
 
meako said:
I was looking at a Boker Appaloos bone canoe from a dealer on the net. It seemed so cheap price wise(beautiful knife) ARE they handmade in Solingen ?IS that Solingen in Germany?
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If it says Solingen, it is Solingen Germany. Boker has a few different lines, Boker Solingen (Germany), Boker US, Boker Arbolito, Boker plus, Boker Magnum.

Hope this helps
-Pete
 
While I don't have many Solingen Bokers (yet), of the few I have they've been terrific, no play, little or no gaps, FnF excellent and the prices have been good. I especially like my chestnut wood handled Scout knife and Beer Barrel whittler. I have a Carver's Congress on order and am really looking forward to it. It will be my whittlin' knife at Scout summer camp this year :)
 
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